


Wherefore Art Thou, Romeo?

by letssoakemforcrutchy



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-24
Updated: 2014-03-24
Packaged: 2018-01-16 20:43:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1361110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letssoakemforcrutchy/pseuds/letssoakemforcrutchy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Romeo, why do you have to be so stubborn?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wherefore Art Thou, Romeo?

There were mornings when Jack was exceedingly grateful for Race.

Having to wake up before the sun to sell papers in the freezing cold was far from pleasant, to put it mildly. It was hard for Jack not to sympathize with those who just pulled their blankets over their heads and attempted to burrow deeper into their mattresses.

But Race had no such qualms. “Alright, you heard ‘im! Get a move on, fellas!” He called, banging against the sides of bunks as he made his way across the room.

A few of the wiser ones stumbled from their beds, wary of Race’s second trip around, when he’d start pulling away their sheets, but most simply tried to block him out.

Race jerked Henry’s sheets away and shook him by the shoulders. “Rise an’ shine, sleepyhead!”

Henry groaned and rolled over, muttering something about the cold weather.

Race gave him another light shove. “You can freeze out there or you can starve in here, but gripin’ about it ain’t doin’ you any good. Now _move_ it.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Being morbid ain’t doin’ us any good either, Race,” he called. It annoyed him, much more than he let on, when Race made jokes about starving to death. As if Jack would let that happen.

While Race continued to aggravate Henry, Jack made his way over to Romeo’s bunk. The kid was normally a downright bundle of cheer first thing in the morning, but on this particular morning he was sluggish and gloomy and it had Jack worried.

He slung an arm around his shoulders. “You feelin’ alright, kid?”

“ ’m not a kid,” Romeo griped, shoving Jack’s arm away.

Race moseyed over. “Aww, did somebody wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” He crooned, ruffling Romeo’s hair. “Did we have a bad dream?”

Jack smacked him on the back of the head. “Quit that! If he’s sick, he shouldn’t be out in the cold.”

“I’m not sick,” Romeo insisted, scowling at Race. “I’m fine. And I can take care of _myself_ ,” he spat, pushing past the two boys to make his way to the washroom.

Jack turned to Race. “You know, you should really quit antagonizing him.”

“Now there’s a sellin’ word.” Race grinned.

“I mean it!” Jack glowered.

“I hear ya, I hear ya,” Race said, placating. He placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Now don’t get your blood all set to boilin’ before you even had breakfast. It ain’t healthy.”

~~~ 

It had been a good day of selling, despite the cold weather, and high spirits abounded as the newsies made their way back into the lodging house that evening.

Jack began a quick head count as he unlaced his boots. The boys were clever and they knew their way around the area well enough, but with the cold weather settling in, Jack decided he couldn’t be too careful.

_Ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen ……_

Fourteen?

He counted again.

Fourteen. Damn.

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Jack glanced about for a familiar mop of ink-black hair. No such luck. He swore loudly and snatched his coat back up.

A nervous quiet settled over the room.

“Jack?” Specs asked, somewhat timidly, as Jack jammed his hat back onto his head.

“Kid’s not back yet,” he grunted.

All eyes were on Jack, awaiting orders.

“Race!” He barked, and Race slid down from his bunk, shoulders slumped. It was his fault, he knew, and he was certain that he deserved whatever chastising he was about to receive. But Jack merely tossed him his coat.

“You’re comin’ with me. Specs, Finch, and Henry, you too.”

Jack turned to Crutchie, placing both hands on his shoulders. “Hold down the fort for me while I’m gone, yeah?” Crutchie nodded nervously. “Good man.”

He turned to the rest of the boys. “I don’t want anyone else comin’ or going in this weather, you hear me? You got a problem, you bring it to Crutchie or wait for me to get back.”

He took one last sweeping glance around the room, taking care to hold eye contact with each one of them before walking out the door.

~~~

“Whose idea was it to let ‘im sell while he was feverish anyway?” Henry griped as they trudged through the snow.

“You know how he is,” Finch reminded him gently. “He gets it into his head that we’se babyin’ him, an’ he just won’t listen.”

“Well maybe he would if Race could just lay off for five seconds,” Henry grumbled.

Race’s head jerked up.

“Henry, that ain’t— ” Specs began, but Race cut him off.

“Jesus, you think I don’t already feel rotten enough?!” He yelled, shoulders set like he was itching for a fight.

“Guys!” Jack bellowed, turning around to face them. Henry glowered back, but Race wouldn’t meet his eyes. Specs and Finch wore twin expressions of frightened concern.

“Look,” he said, “We ain’t got time for this. Nothing’ll get done if you just stand around snappin’ at each other. We’re gonna find him, we’re gonna make everything right, and then nothing’ll be left to blame anyone for. Got it?”

Four miserable heads nodded in response.

“Good. Now,” he began, figuring this was as good a time as any to lay down the plan. “We’re gonna split up. We’ll cover more ground that way. But I ain’t gonna lose any more of you tonight, so we’ll meet back here in ten minutes, regardless of whether or not you’ve found him yet, and we’ll figure the rest out from there.”

“Meet back here?” Specs echoed, concerned.

Jack took note of his worried expression. “What’s on your mind?”

“Well,” he said quietly, looking down at his feet. He let out a huff of a breath before looking back up at Jack. “If one of us finds him right away … it’s just that ten minutes is an awfully long time to wait out here in the cold, and he’s probably already freezing. Is there a better place to … ?”

Jack nodded tersely. “Medda’s. Tell her you’re with me, an’ it’s an emergency. But be polite. She’ll understand.”

The boys nodded again, and set off on their separate ways.

~~~ 

Jack nearly collapsed in relief at the sight of Romeo’s familiar orange scarf, but panic began to set in as his eyes took in the sight before him. Romeo was curled up against the side of a shop, head leaned against the wall, and his eyes were closed.

 _Please_ , Jack pleaded to whatever power may be, _please, please, please let him be okay._

Jack fell to his knees, grabbed him by the shoulders, and shook him. Hard.

“You gotta wake up, kid,” Jack pleaded. “You ain’t lived enough to go out like this.”

Romeo’s eyes cracked open. “Jack?” he murmured, and his voice was raspy.

Jack’s relief tumbled out in a laugh. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again, you hear?” He commanded, shrugging out of his coat and draping it around the boy’s shoulders

“I just …” Romeo mumbled, still somewhat dazed, “I just need to sit down. I’m just a little dizzy. I just need to sit down for a moment. But I’m _fine_.”

Jack gathered him up in his arms. “You will be,” he promised, and he pulled the coats around him even tighter. He felt Romeo shiver through the thick fabric. Shivering was a good sign. “Now let’s get you home.”

~~~

Race skipped Romeo’s bunk the next morning during his usual wake-up routine, but Jack still caught Romeo blearily making his way to the sink after the others had been roused from their beds.

Jack pulled Romeo aside, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Look, I know it’s hard bein’ the youngest around here,” he said quietly. “I know you feel like you got a lot to prove or somethin’. But no one’s gonna think any less of you for takin’ the day off. Sometimes takin’ care of yourself means knowin’ when you need a break.”

But how’m I gonna—”

“You’re not gonna starve,” Jack reassured. “I got some money saved up, an’ I can spare a little.”

“Don’t worry about it,” a voice interjected from behind Jack. He turned to find Race leaning against the wall as he lit up a cigar. “I got ya covered.”

Romeo gave him a nod and a small smile, and shuffled off back to bed.


End file.
